Diane Sawyer – Drunk During Election Coverage

ABC is not necessarily the first network of choice for people watching election coverage and Diane Sawyer might have thought she was using that to her advantage last night. Most of the night she seemed out of it and really looked drunk or tipsy, or maybe just on some new medications. She slurred her words, talked non-stop, used the news desk to keep from falling down, and just seemed like Paula Abdul during her worst American Idol days.

Yeah, I don't see it. This is just Diane Sawyer being Diane Sawyer. I'd like to see all those who are crying "drunk!" to try talking all night on camera after working all day and see how much sense they make. I don't even see a glass of water anywhere. Looks to me like she's trying to have fun, be engaging, and keep viewers interested – reporting poll numbers is dry material and as boring to watch as paint drying.

I watched ABC last night and didn't notice a thing. She just seemed more enthusiastic than normal but come on, they would not put her on air if she was visibly drunk before they started the live program.

I really dont think that she was drunk! The woman is what, in her 60's? And with all of the around the clock coverage while trying to maintain this certain energy level? As a woman who wears herself to the point of exhaustion on the regular, I'm guessing that her "drunk state" is more of a " tired as hell can barely give a shit" state.

She clearly is slurring her words, holding her self very wobbly, etc. She's either totally loaded or having a medical condition. Seriously, saying she's in her 60's and working hard, really? Does she EVER sound like this in her regular interviews? NO. SHE'S LOADED, or having a medical condition, which, seriously, we'd have heard about by now!

@Grand Odalisque – you didn't see a glass of anything because all news anchors usually have a small shelf underneath the on-air desk for a beverage. I can imagine anyone who is going to be on-air for hours would need at least a bottle of water under there, if not coffee or soda. To leave it on the desk would look kind of tacky or give the impression of advertising. So she could have easily had a drink under there.

For me the real giveaway was the faces she made while other people were talking. I'm quite familiar with the internal monologue that occurs while making faces like that, and it usually goes like this "Okay, good job. You got that one out. You're doing great. Nobody knows. What's that guy talking about? Did he just give me a look? God I'm good at this. Nobody can tell a thing."

Who could blame her if she was drunk or pilled up? If I was rich and famous you'd better believe I'd be popping as many Oxys as I could get my hands on, especially if I had to do something as boring as covering an election. I'm sure she, being part of the media elite and all, knows that it doesn't really matter who wins, they're all turds and why not get a good buzz going? Get it grandma!

@SusanB Good point. I didn't think of that. Still don't think she was drunk though.

And while I agree with others who say she was not as poised as usual, I don't think pills or booze are involved here. I know how the internal dialogue works too and in order for her to be blotto and thinking she's doing a good job fooling everyone she'd have to be a very high functioning alcoholic or pill popper. And if she were, well, I don't think her usual self would ever be terribly poised. She'd be "off" more often than once every four years on election night. Maybe some secret medical condition but I don't know. Seems more like stress and exhaustion to me.

And yes, I thought she looked terrific too. So maybe it's just nerve-wracking and exhausting as hell to have to look that good all day at her age.

Everyone on Twitter was saying she was drunk, so we had to take a peak! It was quite entertaining. I think she is drunk b/c she seems to be holding on to the table to steady herself, a move, I recognize myself.

I don't think she seems sauced at all. But I do remember this coming up back in 2008, but it wasn't just about her, it was about a number of the anchors and I remember seeing a video (I wish I remembered where) where they filmed behind the scenes footage of Election coverage and Diane commented that they all seem drunk but it's because those days are usually more than 24 hour days for them. The BTS footage showed how Diane's basically up the night before prepping for the election at the studio from 4am (for GMA) and doesn't leave until after it's all done… Sounds completely reasonable to me.

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